Comments on: Slater Wins US Open - Slater silences critics while Fitzgibbons wins her third world tour event of the yearhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/
Surf News, Fantasy Surfer, Photos, Video and ForecastingSat, 10 Dec 2016 01:32:00 -0800hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1By: Jorgehttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-272923
Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:44:24 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-272923Kelly Slater wins world titles and surfs amazingly superior in all waves and conditions while anonymous internet people make comments. Oh, and he got to poke Pam Anderson.
]]>By: Jefferyhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-266063
Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:59:59 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-266063I remember back in 68-69-70’s when the surf scene wanted to promote me by fixing the heats and giving me the wins against my friends all for the promotion of the industry. Now I wish I had done that because of How Kelly used it to His advantage.

I chose not to follow this route because of the fixing and I still surfed first peak with the gang at Sebastain Inlet for years.

]]>By: dickhalorenhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-263923
Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:40:07 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-263923@Dirt “The American surf market, [the biggest in the world] cannot stomach aussie victories, they turn away. The ASP cares more about its own popularity than crowning a true world champ.”

I’m calling BS. Americans for the most part love the Aussies. And when it comes to surfing everybody knows that the Aussies have rich tradition of it. Americans, including myself, couldn’t care less if an Aussie won (such as Mick). Occy never had a problem becoming a hero in the US did he?

]]>By: dgbjpnhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-263477
Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:14:17 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-263477That contest had some of the wonkiest judging I’ve ever seen. Kelly is clearly the best around but he is obviously over scored more often than not. You can’t give 8s and 9s for a one manuever wave. It’s ruining surfing.
]]>By: Dirthttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-262547
Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:30:21 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-262547@ Rich Evans, I have also seen kelly and taj together many times freesurfing, and from what i have seen i feel taj is better. I guess it may depend on where you see them surf. However, consider this, Taylor Steel once said that Taj was the easiest surfer to work with because he bags clips faster than anyone. I agree that Kelly is the greatest surfer ever. But he is not as good as his contest results seem to indicate. @dre, What bullshit!, its the surf media who go on about kellys greatness all the time, the other pros are sick of kelly being overscored and overhyped. The ex wife of an asp judge once told me that Australian world titles are bad for business[ for the asp]. This is hearsay of course but is absolutly true. The American surf market, [the biggest in the world] cannot stomach aussie victories, they turn away. The ASP cares more about its own popularity than crowning a true world champ. Look at this years results. CROWD PLEASING!. I sense at the moment the ASP are pushing for a non aussie-american champ. The ASP is trying so hard to make jordy or adriano a world champ. Take of your patriotic glasses and you will see I’m right.
]]>By: drehttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-262317
Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:24:56 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-262317@dirt, how can you say that kelly is not the king and that taj out free surfs him?practically every surfer on tour and pro thinks that kelly is king. When he misses a contest the winners think it was not legit cause kelly was not there, proved by the Jbay pieces that were done on him missing it. He was doing huge airs, crazy cuttys and finding barrells that almost no one esle was and he does this on a consistent basis. what more does the guy have to do, in my opion the only fact here is that maybe you dont need to be the best to win one world title, but that goes out the door when you have 10!! remind me how many world titles does taj have? how many world tour wins does taj have compared to kelly? open your eyes
]]>By: Rich Evanshttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-262187
Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:05:11 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-262187Mik and Dirt: I have seen Kelly and Taj in the line up at the same time, many times, free surfing and in contests. Kelly is better. NOTICEABLY better.

I suppose it depends what you favor. If you base everything on tail blows and air reverses, you may have more of a boner for Taj. But when it comes to overall repertoire, speed, flow, combos, flair, variety from wave to wave – Kelly is better. After all these years, he’s STILL better than pretty much everyone. The only exceptions are guys like Dane and Jordy. But their problem is they can’t do it ALL THE TIME. Dane has heats/days where he looks like no one in the world can touch him. The problem is that those moments are so sporadic that it’s hard to call him the “best in the world” until he can do that ALL THE TIME. On a consistent, day-to-day basis, Kelly is still the King, which is all the more remarkable considering the fact that he’s almost 40.

]]>By: Dirthttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-261651
Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:01:16 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-261651FACT. You do not have to be the best surfer in the world to win world titles. FACT. The world title is won by the surfer who best adapts his surfing to the judges imperfect criteria. Kelly does this the best. Taj cares more about hot surfing than getting through heats. @ RICH EVANS. True, Taj is behind in the head to head heat tally, [ in no small part thanks to crap judging] however, if you were ever lucky enough to see both Kelly and Taj out for a free surf together, you would be left in no doubt that Taj is a cut above kelly in this area. FACT Andy always felt that he was inferior to taj, yet Andy knew he could crush him in contests. MORAL OF THE STORY. Take contest results with a pinch of salt, their results tell lies. eg, Adriano’s win in Brasil, Jordy’s win at j bay.
]]>By: Mikhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-261597
Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:24:07 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-261597Brendon: thanks mate!

Rich: can’t argue with your comments on the Kelly/Taj win loss ratio. or Kelly vs virtually anyone else win loss ratio. Kelly is clearly the master of competitive surfing, and he just re-affirmed his dominance. but I will stick to my opinion of Taj. he is every bit as talented as Kelly as a surfer, but for sure he does not have the same mental game. personally, i think it is the difference between a mind that is clear from avoiding alcohol/etc., and illuminated via Yoga and fitness and diet… and a mind periodically affected by indulgence in the Aussie beverage of choice, etc. Everything matters at that level, and Kelly’s ability to evaluate the present moment is freaking amazing. Until the other top 5 can enter that mindspace, they are still in trouble. Andy is really the the only one who could match-up, and he did it with focus, will-power, and a total lack of fear.

]]>By: Rich Evanshttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-261511
Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:29:15 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-261511I never said Taj wasn’t a genuinely good guy, or that I wanted him to retire. I just said he’s flicky and frenetic, compared to Kelly. Watch them surf a few more heats in person, and tell me what you think.

If you want to see more Kelly vs. Taj matches, be prepared to be disappointed a lot more often. I think Kelly’s record vs. Taj is now 18-6, and that includes a whole bunch of locations all over the world, including Australia. If he’s ever going to get a level playing field, it’d be there, and Kelly has smoked him everywhere 2-foot D’Bah to well-overhead Bells.

Taj is a FANTASTIC surfer, one of the best ever. But the result at HB was fair.

]]>By: Brendon Thomashttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-261165
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:46:59 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-261165@Mik: We appreciate your opinions. Keep ’em coming.
]]>By: Mikhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-261133
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:14:16 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-261133Brandon: thanks for the note. I’m not angry. Not an angry person. Opinionated, ya, but we all are? I have worked with Surfer in the past, in my role of representing a surf company. So I am not wanting to attack Surfer… Or Kelly. Kelly is exactly who his persona says he is. True greatness. But I still feel that Taj’s tube was a heat changer, and that if Kelly were behind and he pulled out of that basically un-makable barrel the way Taj did, he would have been thrown a 9. Sometimes Kelly’s electricity get’s kinda rewarded more than others. It’s both justifiable, and also unfair. And when you look at Taj’s surfing, it is on the same world class level as Kelly, so I don’t want to see Taj bummed out, and quit the tour, because he is the new Andy as far as being a worthy competitor for Kelly. Also, The idea that Taj is not a power surfer is ridiculous (as per Rich Evan’s comment). Look at that Taj blow-tail snap in that heat, and look at Taj at Margaret River. He throws monster sprays on 10 ft. faces. Taj is the complete package, and a genuinely great guy on top of it. Never disses anyone. So, what I am saying is that I want to see more Taj / Kelly heats, and when they do compete I want an even playing field, because Taj is World Champion caliber, in every way. And I have a huge poster of Kelly on my wall. I draw inspiration from everyone good enough to be on the WTC… Everyone but the judges. They are good, but they need to be excellent.
]]>By: Brendon Thomashttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-260795
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:31:12 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-260795@Mik: Your previous comment you’re referring to was posted on the press release. It’s still there. Here’s the link: http://www.surfermag.com/contest-wire/kelly-slater-and-sally-fitzgibbons-win-nike-us-open-of-surfing/.
Take a deep breath…
]]>By: Rich Evanshttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-260713
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:21:53 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-260713Were you there, Mik? Kelly won, fair and square. In person, Kelly surfs with so much more power and flow. Taj is so flicky and frenetic. Both rip, obviously, but Kelly is still a notch up on him, as he is on basically everyone.
]]>By: larryhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-260707
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:06:55 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-260707I watched the Taj/slater replay three times. To make it short, I think it came down to Taj’s layback snap wave and the difference between Taj and Kelly’s barrels.

Taj’s layback scored was lower than what we might expect because he fell on his second little float/hit- not a completed wave. Taj was pissed. 6.60. that wave turned out to not be a keeper.

Comparing the two barrel waves, Kelly came out clean – Taj didn’t. Kelly had a big roundhouse cutty after the barrel + one more smaller turn; Taj had two small turns to the beach. 8.10 – 8.40.

Kelly wins the heat, although in total Taj surfed better.

]]>By: donnaowenshttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-260557
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:54:33 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-260557Slater is the 1 in surfing ya’ll need to bring your a game when ya go aginst him !!!
although tanner is coming into his own rip it guys!!!!!
]]>By: Surf Fanhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-260191
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 07:33:33 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-260191@ Mik… about the Taj heat… I didn’t get to see it but watching the heat on demand it looks as if Slater won. Very close indeed. It wasn’t handed to Taj. Their trade of barrel scores, Slaters was cleaner. On the other hand, Taj’s heat before that vs Evan Geiselman was a gift to Taj. It definitely was close but Evan should have had the nod.
]]>By: Mikhttp://www.surfermag.com/features/slater-wins-us-open/#comment-260137
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 06:34:12 +0000http://www.surfermag.com/?p=103687#comment-260137My previous comment was removed, stating that as brilliant as Kelly surfed in this contest, Taj Burrow should have won the Quarter-Final heat that was handed to Kelly.

Is it against Surfer Mag’s rules to offer dissenting comments?

How’s this:

Kelly is amazing in that he elevated his surfing to a new level of aerial performance. But the reality is that Taj has been a master of that level for years, and the other reality is that a former ASP judge purposefully and admittedly was low-balling Taj for years.

Taj deserves better. Professional surfing deserves better. And your readers need to know the pros and cons of the world they participate in.